The present invention pertains to a sewing machine and more particularly to a method and apparatus operatively associated with the machine for attaching an elastic band to a tubular workpiece. Methods of applying an elastic band to a tubular workpiece are well known and usually involve the attachment of the band so that it is exposed or within a folded edge of the workpiece which is accomplished by utilization of appropriate folding guides.
More precisely, the folding of an edge of a workpiece is accomplished by a type of guide that requires constant attention on the part of the operator during the sewing cycle and in particular at the end of said cycle when the initial portion of the seam approaches the opening of the guide.
With the workpiece being of the tubular type, the seam is formed on a ring-like section which causes the initial portion of the seam to approach the guide during the latter part of the seaming cycle. To complete the seaming cycle, the operator must intervene so as to prevent the initial portion of the seam from entering the channel of the guide. This final operation is conducted with the garment completely free, and the success of the operation depends solely on the skill of the operator. This procedure requires what is considered an excessive loss of time due to the necessity of sewing intermittently so as to enable the operator to manually manipulate the edge of the workpiece. Careful attention is also required so as to orient the workpiece in the guide in order to obtain a uniform turning of the folded edge. An object of the present invention is to improve the sewing operation and to eliminate all previously required intervention on the part of the operator during the sewing operation. The technical problem to be solved is that of positioning the workpiece and the elastic band prior to the start of the sewing operation and to provide means for folding the edge of the workpiece onto the elastic band which will not require the use of manual-locking edge guides and which will permit the workpiece to be presented to the sewing area of the machine in readiness for sewing and without the need for further attention during the sewing cycle.